Embedded Videos on vBulletin

Just wondering if you guys could add a feature to embed videos on the forums. I don't know if the features are available for the version of vBulletin you guys currently have installed, but I found it a very useful/cool feature in other forums I participate in.

I agree with Rob. I think links to videos work fine enough as long as members describe them well enough.

I think things like how the site handles pictures should be handled first as with the numerous cover art threads, it would likely benefit more members. There's more uses for pictures with this site's discussion focus than there are uses for video footage. Wouldn't even say no to a more generous avatar size allowance, if I'm honest

I'm guessing we might want to stray from that since it could make the pages load slowly.

I don't think it's any different than a thread full of images and myself haven't stumbled into much problems with page loads.

Problem always comes with abuse, but I think in this type of community we wouldn't be overloaded with youtube videos. The occasional interview, trailer/book trailer, webisode and such, but nothing I really envision that would make pages load too slowly. Unless you have a crappy connection. But that said, I just used a 3G connection entering a thread with about 20 or so embedded videos like this in another forum, and the page loaded quite well.

Anyways, worth considering I think.

If it becomes problematic, you can always turn the feature off. I'm thinking of something along the lines of using some sort of tag around a video link, like youtube's, and it automatically translate that link into an embedded video if it has the appropriate tag around it.

That does exist. It's [youtube]"long" URL here[/youtube], but it's obviously not supported here. I think there's a few others we're missing, such as [s]strike[/s].

Personally? I'm not adverse to having it, but I think there's other things that might be a greater priority.

Oh, I know it exist, just not here. And it depends on the application or how the code is programmed. In some sites you put a [video] tag, some sites interpret the link automatically (which I'm against).

I don't know, seems like a cool thing to have a freshen up the site and add a different dimension to some discussions.

I don't know, seems like a cool thing to have a freshen up the site and add a different dimension to some discussions.

I think it's a good idea too, and I don't think people would go overboard in loading videos, as in most of the forum topics there would be infrequent need for them (though we may see a few in the movies/music threads ).

Another site I frequent that uses vBulletin has embedded videos and I've never seen any noticable difference in web page loading times...

I think it's a good idea too, and I don't think people would go overboard in loading videos, as in most of the forum topics there would be infrequent need for them (though we may see a few in the movies/music threads ).

Another site I frequent that uses vBulletin has embedded videos and I've never seen any noticable difference in web page loading times...

They could handle embedding just fine the site doesn't get that much traffic. Liquid Web's Virtual Private Servers are solid. Honestly though before they do anything they need to upgrade the Apache server.

Sounds good. I share the same concerns, as the other forum where I'm a member/admin at we had those concerns also, very limited avatar sizes, limited sigs, no animated gifs, etc.

But at some point you just have to take a bit step forward, and good internet speed is much more wide spread than a few years ago. So we decided to allow a bit bigger sigs and avatars, and implemented the video functions, and so far no one has complained about slow loading.

I still think we should carry on without signatures at the very least. As Mark (I believe said), they often interrupt the flow of a discussion, plus they're rarely used for anything that couldn't be put elsewhere.

I wouldn't say no to bigger avatars, though, as it's kinda hard to get a decent one for 65x65. Animated ones are also fairly unnecessary, IMHO, as I and others (I assume) can find them distracting.

I know you are not going to listen to me but before you do anything you need to upgrade the apache server and vbulletin. Current Apache stable build is 2.2.19. Then upgrade vbullentin to version 4.1.5. Then test your WAF implementation by doing some basic network penetration testing. Too many exploits out there patch management is critical at the moment. Invest in infrastructure before anything. Offload the cost of the implementation by doing a donation run.

We do listen but I'm afraid, as good as the advice is, it's the bosses domain: up to him when and if these changes take place.

I'm sure he's aware of all this, as well as what has been said above.

Just a question of when he has time.

As good as the idea of a donation run is, really don't think he'll go for that one. I might be putting words into people's mouths but I'd go as far to say that that would really cause upset. It has always been a foundation of SFFWorld that we are volunteers doing this for non-profit.

We do listen but I'm afraid, as good as the advice is, it's the bosses domain: up to him when and if these changes take place.

I'm sure he's aware of all this, as well as what has been said above.

Just a question of when he has time.

As good as the idea of a donation run is, really don't think he'll go for that one. I might be putting words into people's mouths but I'd go as far to say that that would really cause upset. It has always been a foundation of SFFWorld that we are volunteers doing this for non-profit.

Mark

You really think that would bother the membership? I am sure they would understand that there are costs associated with upgrading your infrastructure. Maybe some of our member/authors could get involved a run a donation prize drawing or something. If I had the time I would do the entire upgrade for you for free but there is no way I could swing that with my current work schedule. Just some food for thought.